1 week Ago By Colm Kinsella
THE Wesley Joyce-ridden Top Of the Pops, owned by the Lios Dearg Rangers Partnership, made much of the running to win the eight-furlong handicap at Gowran Park on Wednesday last. Trained in County Offaly by Jerry Murray, the 25/1 chance came home a length and a quarter clear of the Michael Browne-trained 6/1 shot Suityourselfboss, a third winner for the trainer and his first since July 2022 while it was Moyross jockey Joyce’s fourth winner of the current season. Out of luck with 11/10 favourite Wild Sapphire in the day’s opening race, Chris Hayes and Dermot Weld landed the nine-furlong maiden with the 4/1 shot Deressa.
She led inside the final furlong to score by a length and a quarter from Aidan O'Brien’s 8/11 favourite Win Me Over. Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee rode his first winner of the weekend on the Adrian Murray-trained 11/2 shot Pedro Nunes in the seven-furlong maiden for three-year-olds at Dundalk on Friday. Racing up with the pace, he led over a furlong out to beat Jessica Harrington’s 14/1 chance Never Ambling by half a length with Aidan O'Brien’s 4/7 favourite First Wave.
Keane completed a double for the County Westmeath trainer on the 2/1 favourite Umala in the 10-furlong fillies’ maiden. She made all the running to win by the same margin from Natalia Lupini’s 15/2 chance Lady Mcc. Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Jessica O’Gorman was on the mark for the fourth time in her career when partnering the John McConnell-trained Bungle Inthedesert to land the eight-furlong apprentice handicap.
Owned by Eileen Heanen and Noel Heanen, the 12/1 chance led over a furlong out to beat the Tom Dowling-trained Saxon Kingdom by a length and a half. The Dreams Of Glory Racing Syndicate-owned Aurora Nova overcame a tardy start to win the five-furlong handicap at Bellewstown on Saturday evening. Ridden by Limerick jockey Wesley Joyce for trainer Andrew McNamara, the 11/1 chance was well on top at the line as he came through to beat Patrick McKenna’s Lismacbryan Hill by a length and a quarter, a first winner for the owners.
Ray Barron and County Kildare trainer Ross O'Sullivan landed the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Total Enjoyment Mares Bumper with 3/1 chance Switch From Diesel at Fairyhouse on Sunday. Owned and bred by Paul Mullins, the six-year-old went clear inside the final furlong to win by all of six lengths from Declan Queally’s 7/2 shot Carrigmoornaspruce, her third bumper success. The Paddy Twomey-trained Bubble Gum made a winning Irish debut in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Noblesse Stakes at Cork on Sunday.
Ridden by Billy Lee, the French import led over a furlong from the finish to beat Jack Davison’s 8/1 shot Ameerat Jumaira by a length and a half. Shanagolden jockey Chris Hayes and trainer Dermot Weld landed the concluding seven-furlong fillies’ maiden with the Moyglare Stud owned and bred Bella Isabella. A 13/2 chance, she led before the furlong pole to beat Ger Lyons’ newcomer and 8/11 favourite Sapphire Princess by a length and three-parts.
OTHER RACING NEWS Nick Rockett was the hero at Aintree on Saturday for the father and son combination of Willie and Patrick Mullins with a never-to-be-forgotten Grand National success. The 33/1 chance led home an incredible 1-2-3 for the champion trainer, beating last year’s winner I Am Maximus with Grangeclare West coming in third place. Mullins had a bumper week at Aintree, saddling eight winners including four Grade 1 winners on the first day of the festival with the Paul Townend-ridden Impaire Et Passe, Murcia and Lossiemouth and the Patrick Mullins-ridden Gaelic Warrior, a first Grade 1 success over fences for the champion amateur rider in Britain.
Mullins and Townend also won the two-mile Grade 1 novices’ hurdle with Salvator Mundi on Friday. Paddy Twomey and Limerick jockey Billy Lee won the Grade 2 mares’ bumper at Aintree on Thursday with Seo Linn, Gordon Elliott and Mark Walsh scored with Honesty Policy in the Grade 1 novices’ hurdle on Saturday while Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O'Keeffe landed the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle with Hiddenvalley Lake on the same afternoon. Upcoming Fixtures Navan – Tuesday, April 8 (First race 2.
10pm) Leopardstown – Wednesday, April 9 (First race 1.48pm) Limerick – Thursday, April 10 (First race 2.17pm) Ballinrobe – Friday, April 11 (First race 4.
40pm) Dundalk – Friday, April 11 (First race 5.30pm) Curragh – Saturday, April 12 (First race 1.15pm) Bellewstown – Saturday, April 12 (First race 1.
30pm) Down Royal – Sunday, April 13 (First race 1.50pm) Tramore – Sunday, April 13 (First race 2.05pm).
